Seal



Sept.- 15, 1925 H. v. ArwELL.

SEAL

Filed OG.. 13, 1924 f 1 WUQZZU/' race J Patented Sept. 15, 1925.

JUNITI-:D STATES PATENT o F F ICE.

HAROLD V. ATWELL, OF WRITING, INDIANA, ASSIGN OR TO STANDARD OILCOMPANY, OF WRITING, INDIANA, A CORPORATION. OF INDIANA.

SEAL.

Application mea october 1a, 1924. serial No. 743,397.

To all whom t may cncem:

Be it known that I, HAROLD V. ATWELL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Whiting, in the county ofLake and State of indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSeals, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in seals or vent valves,more particularly as applied to the vent pipes from the vapor spaces ofgasoline storage tanks and storage tanks for like volatile liquids. Itwill be fully understood from the description illustrated by theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional vieu7 longitudinally through a valve orseal construction embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on' the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig.V 3 is a vertical sectional view on a plane extending through thepivot of the movable valve member at right angles to the plane of thesection shown in Fig. 1.

The seal of the present invention is an improvement on the constructionof the seal shown in myrior application Serial No. 715,765,fi1ed ay 24,1924.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates avertical vent pipe section which communicates with a vent pipe (notshown) from a storage tank. The vent pipe section 5 is surrounded by apan 6 of rectangular horizontal section, with suitably outwardly tlaringsides. Two upstanding lugs 7 secured to the top of the vent pipe section5 carry a' horizontal pivot ro 8, upon which is pivoted the invertedrectangular cup 9, the sides of which surround the upper end of the ventpipe section 5. The inverted cup 9 is of suicient depth so that itssides enter a body of liquid suitably maintained in the pan 6. Theinverted cup 9 is constructed upon the same principle as 5 shown in myprior application, prevlously referred to; that is, the center ofgravity is offset with' res ect to the center of pressure. The portionci) the inverted cup on one side of the pivot rod8 is greater 'in thearea of its bottom surface than the portion on the other side, thelatter being weighted as at 10l to bring the center of over the pivotrod 8. With this construe tion, as is readily apparent, when the sideslcup 9 to rise,

following gravity directly of the inverted cup 9 are immersed' in liquidin the pan 6, an excess of pressure within the vent pipe 5 will tend tocause one endof the that end being, in the form shown in the drawing,the portion on the right of the pivot rod 8. When the pressure withinthe vent pipe 5 is reduced below that of the exterior atmosphere,reverse action takes place, the side of the inverted cup 9 having alarger area being depressed.

In the construction shown, means are illustrated for effectively dampingrocking movement of the inverted cup in its operation.

As shown in Ithe drawings, the ends 10 of the inverted cup 9 which areparallel to the pivot rod 8 are cut away as openings of graduallydecreasing area as the ends respectively descend into the liquid presentin the pan 6. As a result of this construction, as either end of the panis forced down into the liquid, a gradually decreasing aperture for thepassage of air l is provided, thereby preventing the passage of air fromwithin the top by a sudden rush, with resulting rocking 'of the cup.

To further prevent rocking or hobbin of the inverted cup in itsoperation, and likewise to control the pressures under which the cupoperates to open the vent, weights 12 are suspended by iexible cords 13from adjusting screws 14 secured in the top of the inverted cup 9 onopposite sides of the pivot 8. The screws 14 are adjusted so that theweights 12 barely rest upon the bottom of the pan 6 when the cup 9 isbalanced and level. By suitable adjustment of the weights 12, the forcerequired to raise either end of the inverted cup 9 may be independentlycontrolled. The weight on the rising lside of the pivot is lifted anddetermines the amount of pressure, thaton the descend# ing side restingupon the bottom of the pan 6 and exerting no forcein consequence. Asuitable protecting cover 15 may be provided, being supported by lugs 16on the upper edge of the pan 6.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with thespecific details of a device for carrying the invention `into effect, itis not intended that these details shall be regarded as limitations uponthe scope off' the invention, except in so far as 1s suited 1n theaccompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A seal comprising an open conduit member communicating with the vaporspace, a pan surrounding said conduit member and adapted to contain aliquid, an inverted cup over said conduit member and having its sidesimmersed in the liquid in the pan, said cup having its center ofpressure offset from its center of gravity, means or pivotallysupporting said cup at substantially its center of gravity, anddepending weights suspended from said cup and touching the bottom of thepan when the cup is substantially level.

2. Aseal comprising an open conduit member communicating with a vaporspace, a pan surrounding said conduit member and adapted to contain aliquid, an inverted cup over said conduit member and having its sidesimmersed in the liquid in the pan,

said cup having its center of pressure oi-v est from its center ofgravity, and means for pivotally supporting said cup at substantiallyits center of gravity, the cup being formed at each end with an openingtapered upwardly.

3. A seal comprising an open conduit member communicating with a vaporspace, a pan surrounding said conduit member and adapted tocontain aliquid, an inverted cup over said conduit member and having its sidesimmersed in the liquid in the pan, said cup having its center of preureoffset from its center of gravity, means for pivotally supporting saidcup at substantially its center of gravity, lthe cup being formed ateach end with an opening tapered upwardly, |and depending weightssuspended from said cup and touchingl the bottom of the pan when the cupis substantially level.

4. A seal k,comprising an open conduit member communicating with a vaporspace, a pan surrounding said conduit member and adapted to contain aliquid, an .inverted cup over said conduit member and having its sidesimmersed in the liquid in the an, said cup having its center of pressureotPset from its center of gravity, means for pivotally supporting saidcup 'at substantially its center of gravity, and Weights on each side ofthe center of gravity of the cup and sup-V ported by flexibleconnectors, said Weights touching the bottom of the pan when the cup issubstantially level.

5. A seal comprising an open conduit member communicating with a vaporspace, a pan surrounding 'said conduitY member communicating with avapor space, a pan `surrunding said conduit member and adapted tocontain a liquid, an inverted cup over said conduit member and havingits sides immersed' in the liquid in the pan, said cup having its centerof pressure offset from its center of gravity, means for ivotallysupporting said cup at substantia 1y its.

center of gravity, and a depending Weight suspended from said curp toone sidevof the center of gravity, said weight being normally immersedin the liquid in the pan.

HAROLD V. ATWELL.

